Forest ecology

Ecological potential of forest species

Overall decline in a forest-specialist index for 268 forest vertebrate species (455 populations), 1970–2014, from the

Food and Agriculture Organization

 publication The State of the World's Forests 2020. Forests, biodiversity and people

– In brief

[4]

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The ecological potential of a particular species is a measure of its capacity to effectively

compete in a given geographical area, ahead of other species, as they all try to occupy a

natural space. For some areas it has been quantified, as for instance by Hans-Jürgen Otto, for

central Europe.

[10]

 He takes three groups of parameters:

1. Related to site requirements: Tolerance to low temperatures, tolerance to dry climate,

frugality.

2. Specific qualities: 

Shade tolerance

, height growth, stability, longevity, regeneration

capacity.

3. Specific risks: Resistance to late freezing, resistance to wind/ice storm, resistance to

fire, resistance to biotic agents.

Every parameter is scored between 0 and 5 for each considered species, and then a global

mean value calculated. A value above 3.5 is considered high, below 3.0 low, and intermediate

for those in between. In this study 

Fagus sylvatica

 has a score of 3.82, 

Fraxinus excelsior

 3.08

and 

Juglans regia

 2.92; and are examples of the three categories.